The Nissan Skyline nameplate needs no introduction to South Africans.
It was for the most part a relatively humble family saloon sold locally in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, not forgetting the feisty GTX coupe that was also available in the earlier days. The Skyline was a bit like a Cressida, only much cooler.
Overseas Nissan also offered a string of Skyline GT-R performance models that didn’t make it our way, but became the stuff of legends thanks in part to the Fast and Furious movie franchise.
While the GT-R has since branched off into a stand-alone supercar, the Nissan Skyline nameplate is still bombing along in its home market of Japan. That said, it is getting somewhat long in the tooth as the current version is based closely on the Infiniti Q50, which was briefly sold in SA about a decade ago.
But now Nismo is adding a bit of extra spice to the ageing saloon, with a faster and nimbler version that will be available in two versions, built exclusively for the Japanese market.
Nissan will be offering two versions, with the standard Skyline Nismo limited to 1,000 units and the Nismo Limited seeing a production run of just 100.
Apart from various design and dynamic tweaks, Nissan’s performance division called on the same engineers that developed the GT500 racing class engine to give it a bit more oomph too.
The Skyline’s uprated 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 now thumps out 309kW and 660Nm, which is 11kW and 75Nm more than the regular GT version of the Skyline offers.
The engine has also been tuned for increased responsiveness in Sport and Sport+ modes, where the automatic transmission also has a modified shifting pattern.
The Skyline Nismo rolls on model-specific 19-inch Enkei alloy wheels, with wider rear tyres, and this is complemented by a specially tuned suspension designed to reduce body roll and improve poise on uneven surfaces.
The Dynamics control system has been tinkered with too, as has the braking system, which gets special pads with a unique friction material.
Engineers even went as far as using a new adhesive on the windscreen and rear window, as per the GT-R Nismo, to improve body rigidity without increasing the vehicle’s weight.
On the design front, the Skyline features unique Nismo front and rear bumpers and side sills with red accents, while the mouldings surrounding the bumper and lower grille are said to improve downforce and reduce drag.
The Skyline Nismo Limited, which was created to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the S54A-1 Skyline GT, is further distinguished by matte gunmetal painted wheels as well as a numbered serial plate and a Takumi label that shows the details of the craftsman who individually assembled its engine at the Yokohama plant.
The cabin of the Skyline Nismo models is based on the Skyline 400R, with a predominantly black colour scheme, but the Nismo version does get a few unique touches, like a red centre mark on the steering wheel, 280km/h speedo and red-ringed rev counter with Nismo branding.
Front occupants get to enjoy a set of Nismo-specific Recaro bucket seats, featuring a leather and suede upholstery combination with a red and black colour scheme.
Would you like to see the Nissan Skyline return to South Africa?